Apartment building evacuated in morning fire

SOUTH BEND, Ind – Two families rushed out of an apartment building Monday morning after one of the tenants heard an alarm, smelled smoke, and called 911.

Fire crews were called to Maple Lane Apartments, located off of Bendix Drive, around 8:00 a.m.

Battalion Chief Al Kirsits said one apartment is destroyed from the fire, and the other three are significantly damaged from heat and smoke.

“The apartment that caught fire, no one is going to be able to live there for awhile. The other occupants probably will be out of their apartment maybe for a few days, until they get the smoke smell out of it," said Kirsits.

Two families were home at the time of the fire, but no one was hurt.

Neighbors said a man lives in the apartment that caught on fire and was at work when the fire started.

Investigators were still trying to pinpoint the cause of the fire late Monday morning but said it appears to be an accident.